Post-Game Talk: Stanley Cup Champions VS President Trophy Champions Part II

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Part I.

Click to read more...

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Regarding the flair up between Kempny and Paquette, don't know if it had already been discussed or posted, but I forgot the history between these two from Game two of last year's ECF, . Explains a bit more about last night's events, still Paquette continuing to throw them while Kempny is down and injured needs to be addressed in the next game. That crossed the line of the "code".

 

[StrikingDistance]

Wait...what alternate reality is this?

 

[steam whistle]

For your guys playoffs success, kuzy is the key factor, not ovie

 

[Calicaps]

For your guys playoffs success, kuzy is the key factor, not ovie

And Holtby. But yeah, I think Kuzy finding his game also will prove to be the missing piece on the PP.

 

[Sword]

Too many penalties, most of them were unnecessary (Wilson, Ovy). Horrible PK. We shouldn't think too far ahead and believe that the Caps will play them in the conference finals, not very confident in that defense.

 

[tenken00]

J T Money Stanley Cup Champions VS President Trophy Champions

As a Tampa fan, I agree with this for the most part. Special teams made a huge difference.

Both teams were fairly even but some of the penalties that were called against both were ridiculously soft compared to some of he things they let slide.

Only critic I would say against the Caps was at the end in OT when your defenseman layed out to block the pass, but slid way too far on the side as opposed to the middle of the ice - allowing Hedman to walk in for the goal. That defensive gaff was on par with Killorn's freebies.

Both goalies put on a clinic and as a Tampa fan, I don't want to meet up with you guys in the ECF, but I don't see anybody taking you guys out. As a hockey fan, it'd be an amazing series to watch.

That was Dmitry Orlov. I was yelling at him the whole time asking why he wasn't playing the guy with the puck who was driving to the net. Instead he drifted off to the other guy. He's so frustrating, even more so, because one shift he can be spectacular and the next shift he's cringe-worthy. There is almost no in-between. and it changes by the second.

It's kind of trivial now that the regular season is almost done and we won't see 3v3 in the playoffs, but that all Russian 3v3 line of Ovechkin, Kutznetsov, and Orlov is horrible. I don't ever want to see it again.

Ever.

 

[Calicaps]

Too many penalties, most of them were unnecessary (Wilson, Ovy). Horrible PK. We shouldn't think too far ahead and believe that the Caps will play them in the conference finals, not very confident in that defense.

The PK was bad last night. But it was 4/4 against them the other night. So clearly Tampa made adjustments between the two games. Caps will review the vid and make their own tweaks. Not worried.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

For your guys playoffs success, kuzy is the key factor, not ovie

The guy who has the most points in the playoffs last year is key to our success you say?


Has anyone gotten this intel to Reirden?!

 

[RandyHolt]

I am not sure I have ever seen a more aggressive PK (vs Ovi) than last night. At one point when Carlson got the puck, 3 tampinians charged towards Ovi. I would like to see a play drawn up that incorporates a fake pass to Ovi...

 

[Silky mitts]

I defend Orlov a lot but the way he played the Hedman OT GWG was too much like how he played the game 1 Panarin OT GWG last year

 

[kicksavedave]

That was Dmitry Orlov. I was yelling at him the whole time asking why he wasn't playing the guy with the puck who was driving to the net. Instead he drifted off to the other guy. He's so frustrating, even more so, because one shift he can be spectacular and the next shift he's cringe-worthy. There is almost no in-between. and it changes by the second.

It's kind of trivial now that the regular season is almost done and we won't see 3v3 in the playoffs, but that all Russian 3v3 line of Ovechkin, Kutznetsov, and Orlov is horrible. I don't ever want to see it again.

Ever.

Well I believe Kuzy has two OT GWG in 3v3 this year alone, both off Ovi, so its not always horrible vs Rangers and vs Avs.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

Orlov had a very Orlov night. On one end he made some great defensive plays, he had a beaut of play at one point to break up breakaway and push his man wide.

On the other end he made way too many mental errors and it showed in his penalty and his play.


I think what we as fans miss out on his how insanely fast this game is at the NHL level. Guys are making a decision in a fraction of a second, lately it seems like Orlov, Niskanen, Kuznetsov are just making the wrong decision. It can be a bit like quick sand when that starts because then you force the issue you can get caught up in ignoring your instincts.

Kuz has always struggled with this issue, and I suspect his career will have many slumps where he wrestles with it.

If you remember last season he had a long period where he was too committed to hanging on to the puck and never shooting, his woes all spiral out of this indecisive issue.

I know I'm willing to accept that a career with Kuzy will be very high highs sprinkled periods of low lows, I don't think this board can handle it though. I'm sure the calls for trade will begin next season.

 

[tenken00]

Well I believe Kuzy has two OT GWG in 3v3 this year alone, both off Ovi, so its not always horrible vs Rangers and vs Avs.

Kuz has always struggled with this issue, and I suspect his career will have many slumps where he wrestles with it.

If you remember last season he had a long period where he was too committed to hanging on to the puck and never shooting, his woes all spiral out of this indecisive issue.

I know I'm willing to accept that a career with Kuzy will be very high highs sprinkled periods of low lows, I don't think this board can handle it though. I'm sure the calls for trade will begin next season.

Kuznetsov: "It's not my first rodeo!"

 

[Melkor]

 

[Raikkonen]

This board can't handle Kuzy's slumps? BS We can handle anything.

Also, now that we know Kuzy is the key, we can plan the parade. Nothing holds us back anymore.

 

[trick9]

Kempny is a massive loss. He makes that first-pairing work although Carlson carries a lot of the load. That's also been our only consistently good D pair. His +24 is first on the team by far and he's close to top-10 in the entire league in that regard. I think they match well against Tampa, still. They will get themselves in trouble if the games get into PP fest but otherwise they seem to play very well against them 5-on-5. It's entirely different question if Kempny is out when the Playoffs start, though. Orpik or Djoos can't handle playing with Carlson against a team like Tampa.

Also, what team did Orpik dress for last game? First he shot the puck at Ovechkin after the offside whistle in the first and Ovechkin hurt his hand. Then he stabbed Holtby in the face with his stick. He wrapped his game up in the third period when Tampa got an odd-man rush and Orpik broke the cross-ice pass up by taking a shot towards his own net.

 

[kicksavedave]

This is definitely not an Xray. Something is torn or strained, doubt we see him again this year.

 

[Calicaps]

Just rewatched the condensed game. No replay of the injury of course. Bolts' second goal may be the softest goal of Holtby's career... On review, their third was probably a candidate for goalie interference, but whatever. Love Kuzy taking that shot for the GTG... so slick. Sure it was soft but you can see on the replay that Kuzy plainly saw the opening and went for it.

 

[txpd]

Regarding the flair up between Kempny and Paquette, don't know if it had already been discussed or posted, but I forgot the history between these two from Game two of last year's ECF, . Explains a bit more about last night's events, still Paquette continuing to throw them while Kempny is down and injured needs to be addressed in the next game. That crossed the line of the "code".

Tom Wilson almost destroyed Kucherov last night. This Kempny thing is only going to sharpen the point on this stuff. Is it a reasonable fear that in the 3rd game Wilson will totally legal blow some Bolt to the moon and get suspended to start the playoffs??

 

[txpd]

Just rewatched the condensed game. No replay of the injury of course. Bolts' second goal may be the softest goal of Holtby's career... On review, their third was probably a candidate for goalie interference, but whatever. Love Kuzy taking that shot for the GTG... so slick. Sure it was soft but you can see on the replay that he saw the opening and went for it.

Lets be honest, when a player(Kuzy in this case) passes up open 15 ft shots in the slot, why wouldn't the goalie read pass from that angle? It was a brutal goal but being fair Kuzy is such a confusing player to watch and think along with that what he did there is perfectly understandable

 

[Melkor]

This is definitely not an Xray. Something is torn or strained, doubt we see him again this year.

3 weeks til the playoffs..if surgery won't be required for whatever it is I think there's a chance he can get back during the 1st rd series.

 

[txpd]

This is definitely not an Xray. Something is torn or strained, doubt we see him again this year.

I doubt seriously it was ever just an X Ray. X Ray, MRI, CAT scan. This isn't a guy sitting in a waiting room and getting run thru the system. Very likely he spent a good part of the day with a team of people.

That said, we have lenthy experience with the Caps NHL speak on injuries. Day to day can be a couple of weeks. Week to week can be a couple of months. He's going to miss some time is one step short of he had surgery and will be out x number of weeks.

My read on this is that he probably will need surgery. The question is whether he can play on it in the playoffs with 4 to 6 weeks or rest and rehab and get the surgery after the season or if there is no chance and he needs it now?

The weight is going to fall on Djoos and Orpik. I am guessing we see Djoos with Carlson in general at even strength. Jensen with Carlson on the PK and Niskanen with Orpik. Late in games with a lead Orpik with Carlson. Djoos will play higher level shifts that we would like and Orpik will play more minutes than is good for him.

 

[twabby]

My uneducated guess is a high ankle sprain. Torn knee ligaments are often easier to put weight on and it looked like Kempny couldn’t put an ounce of weight on his leg.

 

[Tayls]

Who steps up for the loss of Kempny and who fills the depth? The Caps have a few games to get this together and make this work before the playoffs start. The PK has to improve or they are going to be in a lot of trouble.